ACSEPT
Actinide reCycling by SEParation and Transmutation
Informazioni Generali
- Coordinatore:
- CEA - COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES (Francia)
- Responsabile:
- DE ANGELIS GIORGIO - (CASACCIA)
- Ruolo ENEA:
- PARTNER
- Sito WEB:
- Sito WEB non disponibile
Programmi Europei
- Programma:
- Settimo Programma Quadro Euratom (2007-2013) -> Euratom fissione (CP - Progetto di collaborazione)
Descrizione e Attività
Descrizione Generale
Actinide recycling by separation and transmutation is considered worldwide and particularly in several European countries as one of the most promising strategies to reduce the inventory of radioactive waste, thus contributing to make nuclear energy sustainable. Consistently with potentially viable recycling strategies, the Collaborative Project ACSEPT will provide a structured R&D framework to develop chemical separation processes compatible with fuel fabrication techniques, with a view to their future demonstration at the pilot level.
Considering technically mature aqueous separation processes, ACSEPT will optimise and select the most promising ones dedicated to actinide partitioning and those featuring a group separation. These developments will be appropriately balanced with an exploratory research focused on the design of new molecules. In parallel, promising group actinide separation pyro-processes will be developed beyond the current state-of-the-art, as an alternative option, for a longer term.
ACSEPT will also pave the way towards more integration between Partitioning and Transmutation by carrying dissolution as well as actinide conversion studies. All experimental results will be integrated by carrying out engineering and systems studies on aqueous and dry (pyro) processes to prepare for future demonstration at a pilot level. A training and education programme will also be implemented to share the knowledge among partitioning community and present and future generations of researchers.
The challenging objectives of ACSEPT will be addressed by a multi-disciplinary consortium composed of European universities, nuclear research bodies and major industrial players. This consortium will generate fundamental improvements for a future design of an Advanced Processing Pilot Unit. ACSEPT will thus be an essential contribution to the demonstration, in the long term, of the potential benefits of actinide recycling to minimise the burden on the geological repositories.
Attività svolta da ENEA
Nell’ambito delle attività di separazione lantanidi/attinidi con metodi pirometallurgici, ENEA svolgerà ricerche di carattere sperimentale su impianto PYREL II, mediante prove “a freddo” relative alla elettroraffinazione di lantanidi in ambiente di cloruri fusi (alla temperatura di esercizio di 460°C); i risultati conseguiti permetteranno la progettazione e realizzazione di un nuovo impianto (PYREL III), per la separazione di uranio dalle terre rare quali prodotti di fissione.
Sarà inoltre svolta attività sperimentale relativamente al condizionamento dei rifiuti salini derivanti dai processi pirometallurgici suddetti, con particolare riferimento alla sintesi e caratterizzazione di sodalite, considerata a tutt’oggi come la matrice più adatta allo scopo.